Ficus plant named ‘ESPE1702’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Ficus  plant named ‘ESPE1702’ which is characterized by an abundance of narrow ovate to oblong foliage on a relatively compact plant, foliage with an aristate to caudate leaf apex, foliage which varies in color from light green to dark green, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus andspecies of the novel variety disclosed herein is Ficus benjamina.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Ficus disclosed hereinhas been given the variety denomination ‘ESPE1702’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘ESPE1702’ originated as a naturally occurring, whole-plantmutation of Ficus benjamina ‘Danielle’ (Community Plant Variety Rightsgrant number 590). In the summer of 2015, the inventor discovered themutation at his commercial greenhouse in Gravenzande, The Netherlands,growing amongst a cultivated population of ‘Danielle’ plants. Themutation was noted for its compact habit and relative abundance offoliage ranging in color from light to dark green and was subsequentlyisolated for further evaluation in order to confirm the distinctness andstability of the characteristics first observed. Upon confirmation ofdistinctness and stability, ‘ESPE1702’ was selected forcommercialization.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of ‘ESPE1702’, by way of stemcuttings, was first initiated in the summer of 2015 at a commercialgreenhouse in Gravenzande, The Netherlands. Through five subsequentgenerations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to bestable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ESPE1702’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and the phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘ESPE1702’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘ESPE1702’ as a new and distinct Ficus cultivar:

-   -   1. Ficus ‘ESPE1702’ exhibits an abundance of narrow ovate to        oblong foliage on a relatively compact plant; and    -   2. Ficus ‘ESPE1702’ exhibits foliage with an aristate to caudate        leaf apex; and    -   3. Ficus ‘ESPE1702’ exhibits foliage with a somewhat relaxed        attitude; and    -   4. Ficus ‘ESPE1702’ exhibits foliage which varies in color from        light green to dark green.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of‘ESPE1702’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Gravenzande, TheNetherlands. This plant is approximately 26 weeks old, shown planted ina 15 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage of‘ESPE1702’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements were made in February of2019 and describe a sample set of six 26 week-old ‘ESPE1702’ plantsgrown in 15 cm nursery pots at a greenhouse in Gravenzande, TheNetherlands. Plants were produced in a greenhouse with full sunexposure, ebb and flood irrigation tables, no supplemental fertilizer,and no preventative or pest control measures utilized.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘ESPE1702’ hasnot been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety maydiffer from the descriptions set forth herein with variations inenvironmental, climactic and cultural conditions. Color notations arebased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘ESPE1702’ and comparisons with the parentplant and most similar commercial variety of Ficus are provided below.

-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Broad, upright to spreading broadleaf            evergreen.        -   Plant form.—Globular to broad obovate.        -   Average height.—23.3 cm from the soil level to the top of            the foliar plane.        -   Plant spread.—Average of 35.1 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Slow.        -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Propagation type.—Stem cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 40 days to            produce a rooted cutting at approximately 25 degrees            Celsius.        -   Time to produce a finished plant.—Approximately 15 weeks to            produce a marketable finished plant in a 14 cm pot.        -   Disease resistance.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to            typical Ficus benjamina pests and diseases has been            observed.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10            through 13 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;            moderate to high tolerance to rain; moderate tolerance to            wind.-   Root system:    -   -   General.—Moderately dense, moderately branched rooting;            roots are slightly fibrous.        -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately            deep.        -   Diameter of roots.—0.75 mm on average.        -   Texture.—Smooth; no root hairs.        -   Color.—Greyed-orange, nearest to a combination of RHS 164A            and 164B.-   Stem:    -   -   General branching habit.—Basally branching main stems; with            lateral branching. Stems produce a milky exudate when            damaged.        -   Main stem.—Quantity — 16. Attitude — Upright. Aspect —            Rounded. Strength — Strong. Color, immature stems —            Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B. Color, mature stems —            Yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS 148A and 148B.            Color at internodes — Yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of            RHS 148A and 148B. Color, oldest wood — Greyed-brown,            nearest to a combination of RHS 199A and N199A. Texture —            Glabrous with small elliptical lenticels with an average            length of 0.5 mm and a width of 0.2 mm. Luster — Slightly            glossy.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity — 40. Length — 8.4 cm. Diameter —            2.0 cm. Internode length — 1.3 cm. Attitude — Outward; at an            approximate angle of 40 degrees to the main stems. Shoot            tips are semi-erect. Aspect — Rounded. Strength — Moderately            strong. Texture — Glabrous with small elliptical lenticels            with an average length of 0.5 mm and a width of 0.2 mm.            Luster — Slightly glossy. Color, immature stems —            Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B. Color, mature stems —            Yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS 148A and 148B.            Color at internodes — Yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of            RHS 148A and 148B.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Quantity.—7 leaves per lateral branch.        -   Attitude.—At an average angle of 40 degrees to the branch.        -   Lamina.—Shape — Narrowly ovate to oblong; leaf tip is short            relative to the total length of the lamina. Aspect —            Slightly carinate to flat, with the distal portion curled            downward. Dimensions — 5.7 cm long and 2.3 cm wide. Apex —            Aristate to caudate. Base — Acute to near obtuse. Margin —            Entire; coarsely undulate. Texture and luster of the adaxial            surface — Glabrous and moderately glossy, with small            orbicular glands visible along the margins; glands are            approximately 0.2 mm in diameter and are colored            yellow-green, nearest to RHS 150C. Texture and luster of the            abaxial surface — Smooth, glabrous, and very slightly            glossy. Color — Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface —            Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A. Juvenile foliage, abaxial            surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A. Mature foliage,            adaxial surface — Nearest to in between yellow-green, RHS            147A, and greyed-green, RHS N189A. Mature foliage, abaxial            surface — Nearest to in between green, RHS 137B, and            yellow-green, RHS 147B. Venation — Pattern — Pinnate. Color,            adaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS NN137C. Color,            abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS            145B and 145C.        -   Stipule.—Not present.        -   Petiole.—Length — 0.9 cm. Diameter — 0.1 cm. Strength —            Strong. Texture — Smooth; glabrous. Luster — Very slightly            glossy. Color, adaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to            RHS 146C. Color, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to            RHS 146C.-   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISON WITH THE PARENT PLANT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ESPE1702’ differ from the parent, Ficusbenjamina ‘Danielle’ (Community Plant Variety Rights grant number 590),in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘ESPE1702’ ‘Danielle’ Foliage shape. Narrow ovateto oblong. Broad ovate. Foliage apex. Aristate to caudate. Acuminate tocaudate. General coloration of Lighter green. Darker green. the maturefoliage.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ESPE1702’ differs from the variety, Ficussp. ‘ESPE1703’ (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/501,276), for whicha United States plant patent application is being filed concurrentlywith the instant application, in the following characteristics describedin Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘ESPE1702’ ‘ESPE1703’ General plant profile.Slightly taller and Shorter and wider than narrower than ‘ESPE1702’.‘ESPE1703’. Abundance of foliages More abundant. Less abundant. Foliageattitude. More upright. More relaxed. General coloration Green. Greenand blotched of the foliage. yellow-green; irregularly and broadlymargined yellow to green-white.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Ficus plantnamed ‘ESPE1702’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.